For fans of Rowan Atkinson, just seeing his face on the big screen is a win. In 2003 he introduced the world to Johnny English, and now he returns with the even more slapstick humor.
It has been five years since MI-7's top spy Johnny English (Rowan Atkinson) vanished off the grid. During that time he has been honing his martial arts skills in a remote region of Asia. But when the MI-7 chief (Gillian Anderson) learns of an attempt against the Chinese premier's life, her team must find the highly unorthodox agent to help solve the case. With one shot at redemption, English must employ the latest in hi-tech gadgets to unravel a web of conspiracy that runs through the KGB, CIA and even his own MI-7. This isn't going to be easy.
Atkinson's facial expressions are enough to make most of us laugh, and in Johnny English he uses them to near perfection. But that isn't all. Throughout the film Atkinson shows his comedic genius through his versatility as a comedian. His rolling eyes and his bulbous nose make this movie fun to watch, even if you find the plot a bit juvenile.
One thing that is truly impressive about the film is it's cast. Dominic West is effective as fellow agent Simon, and Rosamund Pike is superb as Kate, the behavior specialist who finds English fascinating - and lovable.
Action and humor are rolled into one as director Oliver Parker does a fantastic job at featuring exactly what made the original film so good - the laughs. The theft of set pieces from the Bond archives is all the more effective for the comedy context as the film doesn't even think to deny its spoof on the popular franchise.
Overall, Johnny English Reborn is a good PG movie that the whole family can enjoy. It's humor is great, and with the jokes appealing to everyone it doesn't take long to realize that Rowan Atkinson has scored another hit. Sadly the film is likely to be more respected overseas than in the states. Regardless, it's worth checking out.
